ents of a rude chronicle must be painfully reconciled with the
contemporary though foreign intelligence of the imperial geographer.
_Magiar_ is the national and oriental denomination of the Hungarians;
but, among the tribes of Scythia, they are distinguished by the Greeks
under the proper and peculiar name of _Turks_, as the descendants of
that mighty people who had conquered and reigned from China to the
Volga. The Pannonian colony preserved a correspondence of trade and
amity with the eastern Turks on the confines of Persia and after a
separation of three hundred and fifty years, the missionaries of the
king of Hungary discovered and visited their ancient country near the
banks of the Volga. They were hospitably entertained by a people of
Pagans and Savages who still bore the name of Hungarians; conversed
in their native tongue, recollected a tradition of their long-lost
brethren, and listened with amazement to the marvellous tale of their
new kingdom and religion. The zeal of conversion was animated by the
interest of consanguinity; and one of the greatest of their princes
had formed the generous, though fruitless, design of replenishing the
solitude of Pannonia by this domestic colony from the heart of Tartary.
From this primitive country they were driven to the West by the tide of
war and emigration, by the weight of the more distant tribes, who at the
same time were fugitives and conquerors. Reason or fortune directed
their course towards the frontiers of the Roman empire: they halted
in the usual stations along the banks of the great rivers; and in the
territories of Moscow, Kiow, and Moldavia, some vestiges have been
discovered of their temporary residence. In this long and various
peregrination, they could not always escape the dominion of the
stronger; and the purity of their blood was improved or sullied by
the mixture of a foreign race: from a motive of compulsion, or choice,
several tribes of the Chazars were associated to the standard of their
ancient vassals; introduced the use of a second language; and obtained
by their superior renown the most honorable place in the front of
battle. The military force of the Turks and their allies marched in
seven equal and artificial divisions; each division was formed of thirty
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven warriors, and the proportion of
women, children, and servants, supposes and requires at least a million
of emigrants. Their public counsels were directed by